Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone I am still new here. I don't have a beardie yet but I am looking, I want to have everything ready in advance. I was wondering what types of lights all of y'all use for your beardies? I am going to build my own enclosure, it will probably be around 5' by 2' by 2', and it will have basking lights on both ends with a large flourescent running the whole length. I was looking at light fixtures and I figured I could just use a shop flourescent fixture, is that ok? And does everyone use a Repti-Sun 5.0 or 8.0 or what? Do you know how long they make those? Also for the basking lamps, I have heard different things about what bulbs you can use? I have always used special reptile basking lamps but someone told me that is a waste of money, they said to use a regular light bulb for heat. What do y'all use? If you could post pics of your enclosures and lighting arrangements that would be awesome!!! Thank you!!

Logan Mills
USMC

I would suggest using a flood lamp or ceramic basking, there is some bulbs you can buy that have like 95F basking and produce all UVB/UVA requirements. This is what I use and they are AMAZING!!! I have a lawsons dragon and I switch his bulb with a turtle cause they are give 3X ubv stuff needed and he didn't have that light for a month. During that month he got a bump under his chin, I have since put his light back and the bump is almost gone. THey give them great color, make they very active and you don't need any other lighting or heating. I've had three animals that use this bulb and I've had them for about three years each and all of them are very healthy:

I'd like to know more about that Red Eared Slider tank. Is that sealed wood holding the water or is it an aquarium with a wooden background?

If it's sealed wood, what is it sealed with?
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

The thing the RES is on is zoomed turtle dock, they work really well, it allows the turt. to swim under it for more space and they seem to climb up there easily. If you want to make a driftwood background then:
1. find a flat piece of wood
2. get clear silicone and put the tank on it's side and put it so the wood stays
3. let it seal for at least 36 hours
good luck and feel free to ask more questions!

Sorry, that's not what I meant. I was asking about the wall of the tank. At first it looked like sealed plywood of some sort. But then I changes the settings on my laptop and now it just looks like an aquarium pushed up agaist the back of a bookshelf or something.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Hi
Your animals look great I love them. What company makes that bulb you like do you know the name ?

thank you

i'm not sure what company makes it, it comes in a cardboard box. this is what the sticker on it says: active UV& heat self ballasted mercury vapor 100 watt-120 volt rar38 flood medium base made in canada- no idea what company it is, but good luck. I get mine from a local breeder.

Okay thanks.

Hi everyone I am still new here. I don't have a beardie yet but I am looking, I want to have everything ready in advance. I was wondering what types of lights all of y'all use for your beardies? I am going to build my own enclosure, it will probably be around 5' by 2' by 2', and it will have basking lights on both ends with a large flourescent running the whole length. I was looking at light fixtures and I figured I could just use a shop flourescent fixture, is that ok? And does everyone use a Repti-Sun 5.0 or 8.0 or what? Do you know how long they make those? Also for the basking lamps, I have heard different things about what bulbs you can use? I have always used special reptile basking lamps but someone told me that is a waste of money, they said to use a regular light bulb for heat. What do y'all use? If you could post pics of your enclosures and lighting arrangements that would be awesome!!! Thank you!!
Logan,

Try looking into Mercury Vapor Bulbs. These bad boys produce the necessary UVB and kick out a good amount of heat, too. Even though they're not cheap, you will save money on not having to buy a fluorescent, especially one that long! Also, with fluorescents, it is recommended that the animal not be further that 12-18 inches from the bulb to receive the correct amount of UVB. While I can't remember the exact distance off the top of my head right now, I believe thay can be further away with the Mercury bulb.

My Beardies have regular old incandescents for heat and 8.0 fluorescents for UVB. I just decided to try the Mercury recently, so my Uros got one but not my Beardies. Not yet, anyway. I love it. Good luck!
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Diego & Tiffany's Zoo
SNAKES
4.4 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
0.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.1.0 Ball Pythons
0.0.1 Ribbon Snake
0.0.2 Rosy Boas (Mid Baja & Baja)
0.1.0 Pueblan Milksnake
1.2.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
1.0.0 Western Hognose
0.1.0 Solomon Island Boa
1.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (River Road)
0.0.1 Desert Phase Kingsnake
LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.0.0 Turquoise Sunburst Veiled Chameleon
0.0.3 Leopard Geckos
1.1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx